Vital Signs: Tracking Soil Health

September 30, 2018 12:00pm to 4:00pm

Valhalla VT, 5507 Ethan Allen HIghway Charlotte, VT

Restoration of soil health positively impacts water quality, improve nutrient density of foods, and can mitigate climate change; sequestering carbon and restoring land water cycles that can cool the planet. Learn about the soil health principles and simple ways to implement them in the backyard and beyond. We'll review an assortment of accessible tools that allow you to accurately track changes in your soil health and whole-systems landscape function.

This participatory 4 hour workshop will start with a grounding discussion on the soil carbon sponge and understanding landscape function, followed by hands-on field work.

12:00 Soil Carbon Sponge

1:30 Hands-on soil health monitoring techniques

3:30 Generating better questions

Digital education materials will be provided before the workshop to all registrants for review (print-your-own, if desired).

Participants should wear appropriate shoes and clothing for outdoor work, including protection for sun, rain, and insects (ticks too!). Please bring any food or drink you may require.

Instructor: Cat Buxton is a community organizer, compost consultant and soil health educator. She runs Grow More, Waste Less in Sharon, VT and is founding director of the Vermont Healthy Soils Coalition. She serves on the Board of Directors for Rural Vermont, the Soil Carbon Coalition, and Upper Valley Food Co-op. To learn more about her work visit www.growmorewasteless.com